Timing of return uncertain, but Brand progressing

It was an encouraging sign for a team in need of one.

Elton Brand stood near a basket, then jumped off both feet ever so slightly while shooting a hook shot.

The Clippers’ franchise forward, who ruptured his left Achilles’ tendon in the off-season, is still months away from game action, but Monday was the first time Brand has left his feet since the injury.

“It felt good,” Brand said. “Light jump shots, shooting, ballhandling, defensive slides earlier. Everything was real low impact. It was a big step for me today.

“To be semi-in practice, it was an important step.”

Brand also walked and did light jogging on a treadmill for 20 minutes and will look to increase that as his tendon heals.

“Seeing [injured guard] Shaun [Livingston] out here shooting the ball and doing stuff and E.B. starting to do the same, yeah it’s good,” Coach Mike Dunleavy said. “No question.”

Athletic trainer Jasen Powell again said it was too hard to pin down an exact target for Brand’s full return to the court.

“It’s quite difficult because it’s all individually based,” Powell said. “It’s based on how he feels. But based on the clearance we got from Dr. [Craig] Morgan, he made some significant strides [Monday] and obviously we’ll see how he feels [today] and make sure he doesn’t have any flare-ups or anything like that.”

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A not-so-encouraging sign:

Cuttino Mobley, who held his stomach and grimaced in pain throughout Sunday’s drubbing from the Lakers, spent most of the night at the emergency room of UCLA Medical Center because of a stomach virus.

“He was complaining on the bench that his stomach was killing him and looked, at times, lethargic out there,” Dunleavy said. “I didn’t realize to what extent. I tried not to play him some minutes and then he sent a message down, ‘I can go.’ ”

Mobley played 23 minutes and was three-for-10 shooting against the Lakers. Afterward, he had two liters of intravenous fluids pumped into him.

“I think the fluids kind of helped him replenish what he needed,” Powell said, adding that the virus was isolated and probably would quickly work its way out through Mobley’s system. He is listed as questionable for tonight’s game against the Toronto Raptors.

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Sam Cassell, who sat out his 10th game because of a strained calf, participated in light team drills, but is still out for tonight’s game.

Tim Thomas, who sat out Sunday’s game because of a sprained right ankle, will again be a game-time decision.

“It feels a lot better,” Thomas said. “I did some shooting and stuff [Monday], moving around more on it and getting more familiar with it. I definitely think [today], I’ll be ready to play.”

TONIGHT

vs. Toronto, 7:30, FSN Prime Ticket

Site -- Staples Center.

Radio -- 710.

Records -- Clippers 9-14, Raptors 14-11.

Record vs. Raptors (2006-07) -- 0-2.

Update --Toronto’s Jason Kapono is second in the league in three-point shooting percentage at 54.3%. Chris Bosh averages a team-high 19 points and 8.8 rebounds.

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jonathan.abrams@latimes.com